Floating hoist



Oct. 23, 1951 f J. N LOCK, 2,572,165

FLOATING HOIST l 2 SHEETS- SHEET l Filed June 19, 1947 J. N. LOCKI FLOATING HOIST Oct. 23, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 19, 1947 FIG 6.

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

This invention relates to floating hoists, and more particularly to iloating hoists for diving apparatus.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a hoist for diving apparatus, for use on salvage vessels or the like, adapted to permit diving operations in rough and turbulent waters; the provision of a hoist of the class described which compensates for wave-induced motion of the vessel to permit diving operations under adverse weather conditions; the provision of a hoist of this class adapted both for shallow diving operations by a diver in a flexible diving suit and for deeper diving operations by a diver in a rigid-walled diving chamber or compartment; and the provision of a hoist such as described adapted to traverse a diving chamber or compartment, even in rough seas, so that a diver therein may carry on sub-sea exploration or other operation over a considerable area from an anchored salvage vessel. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplied in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a hoist of the invention, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, viewed along a fore-and-aft direction on a vessel upon which the hoist is mounted;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic side elevations of the hoist on a reduced scale, viewed in foreand-aft direction with respect to the vessel, and illustrating different positions of certain elements of the hoist for different positions of the vessel; and,

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view illustrating various positions of a jib of the hoist of this invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Heretofore it has been diicult to carry on diving operations from a'salvage vessel Vor the the diving lines.

50 Screw 2| 2 like in rough seas. The motion of the vessel under such adverse weather conditions has made it so dicult to control the diving lines that diving operations have generally had to be aban- 5 doned for the safety of the diver and the diving equipment until the sea subsides. It has also been practically impossible for the diver to carry on any work or observations if the diving lines are being raised and lowered in accordance with 10 the rising and falling motion of the vessel, apart from considerations of safety. With the hoist of this invention, however, compensation is made for the rising and falling motion of the Vessel so that such motion has little or no eiect upon This makes it possible for the diver to work in safety even in rough seas.

Referring now to the drawings, the hoist of this invention is shown to comprise a mast I supported upon the deck of a floating support,

such as a salvage or like vessel 3, as by being mounted on a platform 5 on the deck of the vessel. The mast is illustrated as comprising a pair of uprights 'I arranged so that they are spaced longitudinally of the vessel. The mast is braced transversely of the vessel by struts 9. A

shaft I I is mounted in the upper ends of uprights I extending longitudinally of the vessel. rlhis shaft provides a pivotal mounting for a boom I3 which extends athwartship and is adapted to swing in a generally vertical plane.

The boom I3 is of such length as to extend beyond the side 0f the vessel throughout a considerable arc of its pivotal movement about the axis of shaft I I. It comprises a pair of side members I5 connected and braced by latticework Il.

with respect to the boom by means of ears 20,

which project laterally from the counterweight and slide on the upper surfaces of the side members. Y

The counterweight is adapted to be adjusted toward and away from the pivotal axis of the boom to balance the weight of the boom and elements carried by the boom. As illustrated, an adjusting screw 2l is threaded through the counterweight longitudinally with respect to the boom. is journalled for rotation and xed against axial movement in bearing members 23 mounted on the extensions of side members I5, The screw may by any suitable means be turned to slide the counterweight longitudinally with respect to the boom. As illustrated, a puiley 25 is fixed on the inboard end of screw 2| and an endless cable 21 is trained around the pulley for turning the screw in either direction.

Shaft |I carries a pair of guide pulleys 29 aligned with a pair of outboard guide pulleys 3| on a shaft 33 mounted in the outboard ends of the side members I of the boom |3. Anchor cables 35 carrying an anchor 31 are trained over these pulleys and are Wound around the hoisting drum of an anchor winch 39 mounted on platform 5. The arrangement is such that the anchor cables may be payed out from the winch to lower the anchor and taken in to raise the anchor.

Shaft II also carries a guide pulley 4I aligned with an outboard guide pulley 43 (Fig. 4) mount-V ed on shaft 33. A hoist line 45 carrying an elevator 41 is trained over these pulleys and is wound around the hoisting drum of an elevator winch 49 mounted on platform 5'. The elevator 41 comprises a divers platform 5| carried by cage bars 53. The latter are connected at their upper ends to an eye 55 by which the elevator is suspended from a hook 51 on the end of hoist line 45. The anchor cables 35 extend through guide eyes 59 provided on platform 5I for guiding the elevator 41 in its vertical movement. The arrangement is such that the elevator 411 may be raised and lowered by paying out or taking up the hoist line 45.

The elevator 41 is particularly for the purpose of raising and lowering a diver Wearing a nexible diving suit for diving operations at shallow depths. Additional pulleys 6I and 63 are provided on shafts and 33, respectively, for the necessary diving lines coupled to the divers suit, such as an air line and a communication line. A divers attendants platform 65 may be suspended at the outboard end of the boom, as i1- lustrated at 61, so that the attendant has access to the diving lines before they pass over the pulleys 63. Thus, the attendant may receive hand signals from the diver made by jerking on the diving lines in the event that no other mode of communication is possible. v

For carrying out diving operations at a greater depth than possible by divers in flexible diving suits, provision is made for raising and lowering a rigid-walled diving chamber; such as the observation chamber 1| illustrated, and for traversing this chamber to permit operations over a considerable area from the anchored vessel 3. To this end, the hoist includes an auxiliary boom or jib 13 mounted on the boom I3 for swinging movement therewith in a vertical plane, and also mounted to swing laterally with respect to the boom and for longitudinal movement in the di'- rection of the length of the jib.

As illustrated, the mounting for jib 13 comprises a bearing platform 15 supported by means of pedestals 11 on the side members I5 of boom |3 in position spanning the side members above shaft II. A jib guide housing 19 rests slidably on the platform 15 and is pivoted for swinging movement thereon about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the boom by means of a tubular pivot pin 8|. The jib 13, which comprises an elongate spar of greater length than the boom, extends slidably through the guide housing 19. Thus, it may pivot laterally with housing 19 and be moved in the direction of its length with respect to the housing. The bearing platform 15 has an edge 80, formed on an arc about the axis of pivot pin 8|. A depending guide clip 83 on housing 19 embraces this edge to guide the housing in its pivotal movement.

The jib 13 extends beyond the outboard end of the boom and has an outboard guide pulley for a diving chamber hoist line 81 mounted upon its outboard end. Line 81 extends from pulley 35 over a guide pulley 89 mounted on the jib guide housing 19 adjacent pivot pin 8|, thence through a longitudinal slot 9| in the jib and through the tubular pivot pin to a winch 93 on platform 5. 'Ihe diving chamber is suspended from the end of line 81 and may be raised and lowered by taking up or paying out the line.

The jib 13 may be moved or traversed longitudinally by any suitable reciprocating drive means for the purpose. As illustrated, it is adapted to be reciprocated by means of a cable 95 having its ends fixed to the jib at 91 and 99 and intermediately wound around a drum Il. The latter is mounted on a shaft |03 journalled in the jib guide housing 19. Shaft |93 may be driven in any suitable way to take up cable 95 on one side of drum |0| and pay it out on the other, thus moving the jib longitudinally with respect to the housing 19. As illustrated, shaft |93 is driven by a reversible motor and speedreduction drive unit generally designated |05. The jib may be swung laterally on pivot pin 8| by means of cables (not shown) connected to its outboard end and manipulated from the deck of the vessel. A yoke |01 is mounted upon the boom I3 adjacent its outboard end to support the jib 13 while permitting longitudinal and lateral movements thereof relative to the boom.

The bearing platform 15 is preferably removably mounted on the boom I3 so that it may be removed if deep-'sea diving operations utilizing the diving chamber 1| are not contemplated. To this end, pedestals 11 may be removably fastened to the side members I5 of the boom by readily removable fasteners such as bolts. Upon removal of such fasteners, the jib 13, platform 15 and housing 19 may be removed as a unit from the boom.

,Figs 5 and 6 diagrammatically illustrate the mode of operation of the hoist for diving operations at relatively shallow depths. The jib 13 and associated elements are not shown in these gures inasmuch as they are not used for such operations. When the hoist is not in use, the anchor 31 and the elevator 41 are usually raised and swung aboard the vessel by raising the boom |3 to the extreme dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 5. The boom may be maintained in such position by a gu-y wire |09 having its lower end releasably anchored to any suitable means on the hoist or elsewhere on the deck of the vessel. After the vessel 3 has been anchored at the site of operations, the guy wire |99 is released and the boom is lowered to extend generally horizontally beyond the site of the vessel. Anchor cables 35 are then payed out until anchor 31 rests upon the bed of the body of water. The counter- Weight I9 is adjusted to such position that it balances or overbalances the weight of the boom, the elevator 41, the diver on the elevator', the platform 65, elevator hoist line 45 and any other elements carried 'by the boom, but does not overbalance the weight of anchor 31. Thus the boom is biased by the counterweight to pivot upward (clockwise as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6), its movement being limited by engagement of the outboard anchor cable pulleys 3| with the anchor cables 35. The anchor cables are preferably payedout to such an extent that, with the anchor 31 resting on the bed of the body of water, the boom is approximately horizontal when the vessel is at a normal elevation above the bed, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The diver is lowered in elevator 41 to the bottom by paying out the line 45. The elevator is guided as it descends by the anchor cables 35 extending through the elevator guides 59 (see the position of the elevator in Fig. 5). The lowermost position of the elevator is at the anchor as shown in Fig. 6.

The hoist functions to compensate for risingy and falling motions of the vessel occasioned by a rough sea so that the outboard end of the boom I3 may remain at a substanitally constant elevation above the water bed despite such motions of` the vessel. If the vessel should rise from its normal elevation of Fig. 5 to the elevation illustrated in Fig. 6, the boom pivots downward, being restrained by anchor cables 35. The length of the latter from the winch 39 to the anchor 31 remains constant. Fig. 6 also illustrates the vessel as having rolled to some extent from its even keel position of Fig. 5 and shows how the boom also compensates for rolling of the vessel. If the vessel should fall from its normal elevation of Fig. 5, the boom will pivot upward under the bias of counterweight I9 to maintain the anchor cables 35 taut and to maintain the outboard end of the boom at the stated substantially constant elevation. f

Since the outboard end of the boom thus remains at a substantially constant elevation above the bed of the body of water, rising and falling motions of the vessel have no substantial effect upon the elevator 41 and it remains upon the bed (or at any other elevation to which it has been lowered). Also, rising and falling motions of the vessel have no substantial effect upon the length of the divers lines and it is not necessary to pay out a considerable length of such lines, as is usually necessary to provide enough slack to permit the diver to move about without being unduly restrained by the lines and to avoid danger of the lines becoming snaggedor snapped. Further, the compensation for the rising and falling motions of the vessel permits the elevator (and the diver) to be lowered to and raised from the desired working depth at a uniform rate. That is, the elevator 41 does not rise and fall in unison with rising and falling motions of the vessel and there is noldanger of snapping the elevator cable and the divers lines.

For diving operations at a greater depth than feasible for a diver in a exible diving suit, the diving chamber 1I and jib 13 are utilized. The anchor 31 is lowered to rest upon the bed of the body of water as previously described. The counterweight I9 is adjusted to such position that it overbalances the weight of the boom I3 and the various elements carried by the boom, including the jib 13, the diving chamber 1I and the diver therein, but does not overbalance the weight of anchor 31. The diving chamber 1I is then lowered to the desired depth by paying outvthe line 81 from winch 93. Since the weight of the boom, jib and diving chamber is overbalanced by the counterweight I9, the boom and jib compensate for rising and falling motions of the vessel in the manner previously described.

Thus, the diving chamber 1I may be lowered and raised at a uniform rate, despite the motion of the vessel, to avoid snapping of the line 81 and other lines which may be connected to the chamber. The chamber will remain at any depth to which it has been lowered since rising and falling 6. motions of the vessel have no effect to raise and lower the chamber. This enables the diver in the chamber to make the necessary observations or perform other operations from a substantial-r4 ly stationary, steady position.

If it is desired to move the chamber 1I about for exploration, the jib 13 may be moved in o1" out by driving shaft |03 in the appropriate div rection, and may be swung laterally about theVA axis of pivot pin 8| in the manner previously de scribed, and as illustrated in Fig. 7. Thus, op' erations may be carried on over a considerablearea, even though the vessel 3 is anchored and the diver is conned within chamber 1I, and: despite rough seas.

In view of the above, it will be seen that thee several objects of the invention are achieved andy other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the: accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A floating hoist comprising a floating support, an elongate member pivoted on said support for swinging movement in a generally vertical plane and extending beyond the support, an

anchor suspended by an anchor cable from said member, said cable running from said anchor over an outboard guide on said member to hoisting means on said support, a hoist line for raising and lowering a load suspended from said member, said line running from said load over an outboard guide on said member to hoisting means on said support, and means acting on said member applying torque tending to swing said member on its pivot for overbalancing its weight and the weight of said load but not the weight of said anchor to bias said member to swing upward about its pivot in opposition to the restraint of the anchor cable.

2. A oatin'g hoist comprising a floating support, a mast stepped on the support, a boom pivoted on the mast for swinging movement in a generally vertical plane and extending from its pivot beyond the support, an anchor suspended by an anchor cable from the boom, said anchor cable running from said anchor over an outboard guide on said boom to hoisting means on said support, an elevator suspended from said boom by means of a hoist line running from the elevator over an outboard guide on said boom to hoisting means on said support, and adjustable means acting upon an extension of the boom on the side of its pivot opposite said guides applying torque tending to swing the boom on its pivot for overbalancing the weight of said boom, elevator and a load thereon but not theweight of said anchor, thereby to bias the boom to swing` upward about its pivot in opposition to the re straint of the anchor cable.

3. A oating hoist as set forth in claim 2,` wherein said adjustable biasing means comprises` a counterweight carried by the extension of said` 'boom for movement toward and away from its. pivot, and means for moving said counterweight toward and away from said pivot and retainingl it in adjusted position with respect thereto.

4. A floating hoist as set forth in claim 2,` wherein the elevator is provided with guide means.. cooperable with the anchor cable for guiding the.

elevator for substantially vertical movement.

5. A oating hoist comprising a floating supv port, 'abooin pivoted on saidsupporti for swing?A ing movement in a generally vertical plane and, extending'from its pivot beyond said'support, an anchor suspended by an anchor cable from the boom, said anchor cable running from said anchor over an outboard guide on said boom to hoisting means on saidsupport, ajib carried byi said boom for verticall swinging movement theref with and also for-lateral swingingmovement andlongitudinal reciprocating movement with respectto the boom, a hoist line for raising andlowering a loadisuspended from said jib, said line runningfrom said load over anoutboard'gu'ide onsaidfjibf4 to hoisting means on said support, and meansacting on the boom for overbalancing itsweightv and the weight of said jib and loadbut not the. weightof said anchor', thereby to biassaid boom and jib to swing upward aboutsaid pivot in op# position to the restraint of said anchor cable.

6. A oating hoist comprising a floating vs up- L port, a boom piv-oted on said support for swinging movement in a generally vertical plane and extending from its pivot beyond said support, an

guide on said jib to hoisting means on said support, and means acting on the boom lfor overbalancing its weight and the weight of said jib and load but not the weight of said anchor, thereby to bias said boom and jib to swing upward about said pivot in opposition to the restraint of said anchor cable.

7. A floating hoist as set forth inY claim 6, wherein said jib guide is pivoted on said boom by means of a tubular pivot pin, and said hoist line runs from said outboard guide on said jin through said pin and thence to the hoisting means for said line and load.

8. A noating hoist as set forth in claimt, fur, ther including means mountedv on said. jihguide for longitudinally reciprocating the` jib.

k9. In a hoist of the class described, a mast, a'

projecting boom pivoted to the upper end of' said mast for vertical swinging movement, said boom having an extension from said'pivot, adjustable counterbalancing means acting onisaid extension adapted to be adjusted to overbalance the weight of said projecting boom and. loads portion of said boom and overa guide at thepivot portion of the boom to hoisting means,

and a load platform suspended by a. hoist line '.1

running therefrom over a guide` on thefreepro-A jecting end of the boom and a guidenear the pivot portion of the boom to hoistingfmeans,`

l0. In a hoist of the class. described,` a mast, a boom, pivoted near one end to the upper end of said mast for vertical swinging movement, said boom having an extension from said. end loe-'- yond said pivot, adjustable counterbalancing y means acting on said extension adapted.v to be adjusted to overbalance the weight'off saidboom and loads thereon, an anchor suspended byY a pair of' anchor cables running from-said anchor overguideson the free end of said-boom-'and over guides on thepivt end-*ofthe boom to hoisting means, a load platform suspended by a hoist line running therefromover a guide on the free. end of the boom anda guide on the pivot end` of the boom to hoisting means, each of said pair.

of anchor-cables running through guide means onthe platform, whereby the anchor cables funtionY as guides for substantially vertical move.- ment of the platform.

11. In a hoist of the class described, a mast,. a

projecting boom pivoted to the upper end' of said mast for vertical swinging movement, said boomk having-an extension from said pivot, adjustable. counterbalancing means acting on said extension adapted to be adjusted to overbalance the Weight of said projecting1 boom and loads thereon, an anchor suspended by a cable running from said' anchor over a guide on the projecting portion.

of said boom and over a guide at the pivot portion of the boom to hoisting means, a load platform suspended by a hoist line running therefrom over a guide on the free projecting end of. the, boom and a guide near the pivot portion of the. boom to hoisting means, a jib mounted on the,v boom for vertical' swinging movement therewith. and lateral swinging movement with respect.

thereto, anda hoist. line for raising and lowering a load suspended from the jib running from.

having an extension from said pivot, adjustable counterbalancing means acting on said extension adapted to be adjusted to overbalance the weight of said projecting boom and loads thereon, an anchor suspendedl by a cable running from'. said anchor. over arguide en the projecting portion.

of said'boom and over a guide .at the pivot portion of the boom to hoisting means, and a load platformrsuspended by a hoist line running therefrom over a guide on the free projectingend of the boom and a guide near the` pivot portionofr the boom to hoisting. means, a jib mounted'. on the boom-for vertical swinging movement therewith and for lateral swinging movement and llongitudinal reciprocating movement with. respect` thereto, and avhoist line for raising and lowering a load suspended from .the jib running fromsaid load over a guide on the jib to hoisting means.

13. In a hoist-of the classdescribed, a mast, a boom pivoted near one end to the upper end of.. said mast for vertical swinging movement, saidboomrhaving an extension from said end beyond said pivot, adjustable counterbalancing -means,

acting on said extension-adapted to beadjusted to overbalance the weight of said-boom land loads:

thereon, an anchor suspended by aV pair of anchor cables running from said anchor overv guidesl on the free end of said boom and over guides on the pivot end of theboom to hoisting means, a

loadplatform suspendedrby a-hoist line runningl therefrom over afguide on the free end 'of the boom and-a guide on thelpivot end'of-theiboom to hoisting-means, each of said pair'of anchorv cables running through guide means on the platform, whereby thel anchor cables function asguides for substantially vertical .movement of the platform, a jib mounted on the Aboom for verticalk swinging movementtherewith and lateral swinging movement with respect` thereto, and a yhoist line for raising and lowering aload suspended fromthe .jib runningfrom said loadover. a guideony the jib to hoisting means.

14. In a hoist of the class described, a mast, a boom pivoted near one end to the upper end of said mast for vertical swinging movement, said boom having an extension from said end beyond said pivot, adjustable counterbalancing means acting on said extension adapted to be adjusted to overbalance the weight of said boom and loads thereon, an anchor suspended by a pair of anchor cables running from said anchor over guides on the free end of said boom and over guides on the pivot end of the boom to hoisting means, a load platform suspended by a hoist line running therefrom over a guide on the free end of the boom and a guide on the pivot end of the boom to hoisting means, each of said pair of anchor cables running through guide means on the platform, whereby the anchor cables function as guides for substantially vertical movement of the platform, a jib mounted on the boom for vertical swinging movement therewith and for lateral swinging movement and longitudinal reciprocat- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 911,632 Van Wie Feb. 9, 1909 1,030,771 Daugherty June 25, 1912 1,163,553 Packer Dec. 7, 1915 1,443,078 Kaltenbach Jan. 23, 1923 1,830,442 ORourke Nov. 3, 1931 2,293,936 Crooke Aug. 25, 1942 2,358,339 Lucas Sept. 19, 1944 2,368,268 Spiegel Jan. 30, 1945 2,378,254 Swaney June 12, 1945 

